Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2023 International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology

ISSN No:-2456-2165

Solar Powered Weather Station Project

using Thing Speak GUI
Shreyash Vijay Ankam, Robin Sharma, Keyur Chandrakant Patel, Sarthak Sehrawat, Sam Jeyaraj Jeyachandrabose
Students, Department of Wireless Information Networking
Sir Sanford Fleming College Peterborough, Canada

Abstract:- Due to the proliferation of pollutants in the II. PURPOSE

environment and uncertain climate changes leading to
global warming. Scientists are keen to examine the
minutiae of climatic changes and factors affecting the
whole. Furthermore, to get real-time data about the
changes. This weather station is designed to measure a
range of environmental parameters driven by a solar
panel. The system uses wireless sensors to measure the
environmental parameters, which are then transmitted
to a microcontroller for processing and storage.
Additionally, it leverages the ThingSpeak platform to
store and analyze data with the use of Wi-Fi. a selection
of data analysis tools that may be used to visualize the
data and spot trends, such as charts, and graphs.
Keywords:- Arduino Mega 2560, BME280, Davis
Anemometer, Hydreon RJ-11 Rain Sensor, MQ135, MQ7,
Adafruit Feather M0, RFM95 LoRa Radio, ESP8266
NodeMcu V3 Wireless WIFI Module, Thing Speak, Wave
share Solar Power Management.
 The main aim of this project is to provide real-time and
historical weather data to individuals and communities.
 The main objective of the station is to provide an
economical and sustainable solution for environmental
monitoring.
A. Arduino Mega 2560
The Arduino Mega 2560 is one of the best
microcontroller boards used for large applications. This
board is designed with 54 digital and 16 analog
inputs/outputs. It is based on the ATmega2560 chip and
operates at 5V, with an input voltage range of 7-12V
(recommended). One of the key features of the Arduino
Mega 2560 is its 54 digital I/O pins, of which 15 provide
PWM output.

I. INTRODUCTION

This project primarily involves providing the user with

a real-time reading of the environmental factors. Where the
readings gathered from the various sensors are wirelessly
sent to an individual electronic device using the ThingSpeak
platform.

ThingSpeak is a user-friendly web interface that

allows users to view real-time and historical data, as well as
set alerts for specific weather conditions. Along with, a
custom PCB board for the microcontroller, which includes
features such as overvoltage protection and battery charging
circuitry for the Arduino mega to work efficiently in the
harsh climate as well. Furthermore, adding a power
management board to provide a constant supply of power to
the microcontroller and work as a backup power source for
the station as well.
The project demonstrates the working of various
sensors alongside the solar management system and
transmitting the data using the Lora and ESP8266 over the
internet. Analog data that is obtained from the sensors is
first converted to digital representation before being
wirelessly communicated to the cloud.
Hence, allowing the user to access the data remotely
with the help of various sensors and processing on
ThingSpeak with the help of data visualization and analysis
tool.
Fig. 1: Arduino Mega 2560
It also has 16 analog input pins and 4 UARTs, which
are hardware serial ports. Having a capacity of flash
memory i.e., 256 KB. Out of which 8 KB is used by the
bootloader. It has 8 KB of SRAM and 4 KB of EEPROM.
The clock speed of the board is 16 MHz, which allows it to
handle complex applications and projects with ease.
B. Davis Anemometer
The Davis Anemometer is a high-precision wind speed
and direction sensor designed for use in weather monitoring.
Having high accuracy and precision, with wind speed
measurements ranging from 0 to 200 mph (0 to 322 km/h)
and wind direction measurements ranging from 0 to 360
degrees. Where the communication between the
anemometer and the system is done using the wired or
wireless interface such as RS-232 or RS-485.

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Volume 8, Issue 5, May 2023
It uses a three-cup anemometer design to accurately
measure wind speed, and a vane design to measure wind
direction. Which also makes this meter design withstand
harsh environmental conditions. Additionally, compatibility
with low power consumption makes it suitable for use in
remote locations and battery-powered applications.
Fig. 2: Davis Anemometer
C. MQ7
It is a gas sensor, the MQ7. This sensor's purpose is to
measure the amount of carbon monoxide (CO) in the
atmosphere. the only sensor with a 20–2000 ppm range and
great sensitivity to CO gas. Also has been operatable at a
voltage range of 5V, and its output signal can be read using
an analog or digital interface on the Arduino Mega 2560.
We could use to calibrate the sensor for optimal
performance by using the adjustable potentiometer, The
MQ7 is a low-power sensor, consuming only around
150mW during operation, which makes it suitable for solar-
powered applications.
Fig. 3: MQ- 135 ad MQ-7
D. BME280
BME680 is a 4-in-1 sensor designed for environmental
monitoring such as different gas, humidity, temperature, and
pressure. Additionally, used for detecting volatile organic
compounds (VOCs) and other gases such as carbon
monoxide (CO) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
This sensor also has a humidity sensor with a range of
0-100% relative humidity, which is used for monitoring the
moisture level in the air. The temperature sensor has a range
of -40°C to 85°C, while its pressure sensor has a range of
300-1100 hPa.
The BME680 communicates with a microcontroller
through an I2C or SPI interface and requires minimal power
consumption, making it ideal for solar-powered
applications.
IJISRT23MAY422 www.ijisrt.com
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
The BME680's pressure, humidity, and temperature
sensor use piezoresistive, capacitive, and bandgap sensors,
respectively, to monitor air pressure, relative humidity
(RH), and ambient temperature.
E. Hydreon RJ-11 Rain Sensor
The Hydreon RJ-11 Rain Sensor is a reliable and
accurate sensor for measuring the presence and intensity of
rainfall.
Having the best feature of great sensitivity to even
light rainfall. It can detect rainfall as small as 0.01 inch
(0.254 mm) per hour and can accurately measure rainfall
rates up to 12 inches (304.8 mm) per hour.
The Hydreon RJ-11 Rain Sensor operates using a
simple optical sensor system. A detector and emitter for
infrared light make up the sensor. When raindrops fall on
the shell, they create a change in the amount of infrared
light detected by the sensor. This change is then converted
into a rainfall rate value.
Where the communication between the
microcontroller and the sensor is done using the standard
RJ-11 connector for communication with a weather station
or data logger and requires only a 5V power supply. The
sensor is also compact, with a small form factor of just 2.5
inches (63.5 mm) in diameter.
Fig. 4: Internal circuit of Hydreon RJ-11
F. MQ135
The MQ135 is a gas sensor module designed for
detecting levels of various air pollutants, including benzene,
alcohol, smoke, and nitrogen oxides (NOx). This sensor has
a high sensitivity to air pollutants, with a detection range of
10-1000 ppm.
The MQ135 is designed for easy integration with an
operatable voltage range of 5V, and its output signal can be
read using an analog or digital interface. It is a low-power
sensor, consuming only around 100mW during operation. It
is also compact and easy to install, with a small form factor
of just 35mm x 22mm.
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G. RFM95 LoRa Radio
The RFM95 LoRa radio is a low-power, long-range
radio transceiver module that is designed for use in wireless
communication systems. It operates on the 868MHz or
915MHz frequency bands, which provides excellent range
and penetration through walls and other obstacles.
It can receive signals with a sensitivity of -148dBm,
which makes it ideal for use in low-power, battery-operated
devices. The module also includes a power amplifier that
can boost the output power to up to +20dBm, providing a
maximum range of up to several kilometers.
The LoRa radio uses the LoRa modulation scheme,
which allows it to achieve high data rates while using
minimal power. The LoRa radio is integrated with the help
of an SPI interface.
H. ESP8266 NodeMcu V3
The ESP8266 NodeMcu V3 is used to provide wireless
connectivity to the internet and other devices. It provides
support for both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks and
includes a range of features, including TCP/IP protocol
stack, DNS, and DHCP. This makes it ideal for use in
wireless communication systems. It also includes a built-in
antenna, which provides reliable wireless connectivity even
in areas with poor signal strength.
Fig. 5: Testing setup of the BME 680 and ESP32 for
communication over the Internet
I. Thing Speak
IoT platform ThingSpeak enables users to gather,
examine, and visualize data from connected devices. The
platform works by providing a set of APIs that can be used
to send data from IoT devices to the ThingSpeak cloud,
where it can be processed and stored.
The platform also offers a range of tools and services
for data visualization and analysis, making it easy for users
to gain insights into their data. Which can be possible with
the help of real-time data streaming. Where we can monitor
their devices in real-time, receiving alerts and notifications
as data is collected. With an in-built visualization tool, we
can identify trends, track performance, and monitor key
metrics.
IJISRT23MAY422 www.ijisrt.com
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
J. Waveshare Power Management
The Waveshare Solar Power Management module is an
electronic device designed to regulate the power supply to
microcontrollers in remote locations with a high conversion
efficiency of up to 97%.
It also includes several protection features such as
overvoltage protection, Undervoltage protection,
overcurrent protection, and short-circuit protection, which
help to ensure the safety of the connected device. Along
with a battery charging circuit that allows it to charge an
external battery using solar energy. This makes it ideal for
our station which requires a backup power source.
Fig. 6: Waveshare solar power management
K. Adafruit Feather M0
The Adafruit Feather M0 is based on the
ATSAMD21G18 ARM Cortex M0+ processor used for
communication, which provides a high level of performance
while consuming minimal power. It supports both 3.3V and
5V power supplies, and its built-in battery charging circuitry
allows it to be powered by a wide range of battery types.
It also includes a built-in bootloader, which allows the
board to be programmed over USB without the need for
additional hardware. Setting up a wireless communication
protocol such as Wi-Fi or LoRa to send data from the
weather station to ThingSpeak.
L. Solar Panel
A solar panel is a machine that uses sunshine to create
electricity. The 5W and 12V solar panels can produce up to
5 watts of power at 12 volts DC. This panel typically
consists of multiple solar cells that are wired together and
encapsulated in a protective material.
The solar panel is connected to the Waveshare power
management as shown in the figure below to regulate the
constant 5v supply to Arduino Mega 2560.
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Fig. 7: Connection of solar panel to waveshare solar power
management board
III. CALCULATIONS
 Defining the no. of hours present in a year: 8760
 Yearly Sun Energy = 1200 kWh/ m²
 Estimated energy = ((1200 kWh/ m²/ 8760 h) =
137W/m^2)
 Estimated Solar Cells efficiency (15%)
 Estimated Energy to get = (137W/m² x 15%) = 20 W/m²
 Additional loss - batter charging process (33%) or (40%)
 Actual Energy to get = 14 W/m² = 1.4 mW/ cm²
 Size of solar panel = Microcontroller Power
consumption/actual solar power = 0.5 W÷ (14 W/m²) =
357 cm² (size 19 cm x 19 cm or similar)
 Size of solar panel for maximum consumption =
Microcontroller Power consumption/actual solar power =
1 W÷ (14 W/m²) = 714 cm² (size 27 cm x 26.5 cm or
similar)
IV. PROPOSED SYSTEM
Fig. 8: Block Diagram
IJISRT23MAY422 www.ijisrt.com
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
 The solar-powered weather project using Arduino Mega
2560 involves measuring various weather parameters
using sensors BME680, MQ135, MQ7, Davis
Anemometer, and RJ 11, processing the data using
Arduino, and sending it wirelessly to ThingSpeak for
visualization and analysis.
 Sensor connections: Connect the BME680 sensor to the
I2C bus of the Arduino Mega 2560, the MQ135 and MQ7
sensors to the analog pins of the Arduino, and the Davis
Anemometer to the digital pins of the Arduino.
 Implementing a solar power system using a solar panel,
battery, and Waveshare power management for providing
a constant power supply and an additional power backup
source.
 Data acquisition and processing: Use Arduino code to
read data from the sensors and store it in variables. Hence,
by converting the raw readings to useful weather
parameters such as temperature, humidity, pressure, air
quality, and wind speed.
 Data transmission: Use the ESP8266 Wi-Fi module to
establish a wireless connection to the internet and send
the processed data to ThingSpeak in JSON format.
 Data visualization and user interface: Configuring
ThingSpeak to display the weather data in real-time using
various graphs and widgets such as line charts, gauges,
and maps. And to display the weather data in an easily
readable format for the users and provide options for data
analysis and download.
V. RESULTS
Fig. 9: The demo video of one author explaining the how-
to-use the user interface and temperature meter of the
current location
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Fig. 10: Graphs displaying the various analog values such as
pressure, humidity, level of gas, and altitude of the region.
Fig. 11: Graphs showing the rainfall, wind speed, and
location where the reading is being taken place.
VI. SCOPE OF PROJECT
 Data visualization and analysis using machine learning or
statistical methods of the real-time weather conditions of
a particular location.
 Provision of notifications or alerts when certain weather
conditions are met, integration with other platforms such
as Google Sheets or Twitter.
 The weather station also has practical applications in
disaster management, as it can be used to monitor and
manage natural disasters such as floods and hurricanes.
IJISRT23MAY422 www.ijisrt.com
International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology
ISSN No:-2456-2165
VII. CONCLUSION
 It provides individuals and communities with real-time
and historical weather data, which can help them plan and
make informed decisions regarding outdoor activities.
 Farmers can use the weather data to determine the best
times for planting and harvesting crops and to monitor
soil moisture levels.
 Meteorologists can use the data to improve weather
forecasting and provide timely alerts for severe weather
conditions.
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The writers express their contentment to the university
and department for supplying crucial information and data
alongside the applicable equipment, which were essential
for finalizing this research paper.
REFERENCES
Books
[1.] Ethan Thorper, “Coding for a sensor for Arduino
Mega 2560” in Arduino: Advanced Method and
Strategies of Using Arduino
[2.] Charles Bell “ Integration and data visualization of
data” in Using ThingSpeak
[3.] Peter Cress, “Working and Necessary for the power
management for solar mechanism” in The Off Grid
Solar Power Bible
Research Publication
[4.] Marzieh Fathi, Mostafa Haghi Kashani, Seyed Mahdi
Jameii & Ebrahim Mahdipour, Big Data Analytics in
Weather Forecasting: A Systematic Review
1247–1275 (2022) 28 June 2021.
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